Static discovery fallback for query-based network function interaction discovery

This application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/203,370, filed on May 30, 2023, which claims the benefit of U.S. Patent Application No. 63/346,459, filed on May 27, 2022, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present disclosure is directed, in part, to utilizing a static configuration fallback for query-based network function interaction discovery, substantially as shown in and/or described in connection with at least one of the figures, and as set forth more completely in the claims.

In aspects set forth herein, a static configuration for network function discovery is created and utilized upon a determination that a default query-based discovery process is unavailable. Modern telecommunication networks utilize functionally-defined network functions for the provision of any number of user-desirable services. In order to discover and select an appropriate network function producer to provide a network function service, a network function consumer may use a query-based process. The network function consumer queries an entity, such as a network repository function, in order to discover which network function producers are available. When communication links/interfaces and network repository functions operate nominally, the network function consumer initiating a discovery request should not generally encounter a problem identifying/selecting an appropriate network function producer; however, if the network function consumer fails to successfully complete the query-based discovery process, it may be unable to identify, and therefore unable to communicate a service request to, a network function producer. By creating a static configuration backup and then using the static configuration when it is determined that the query-based process is unavailable, network function consumers will be enable to more seamlessly communicate with network function producers.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

The subject matter of embodiments of the invention is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, the description itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. Rather, the inventors have contemplated that the claimed subject matter might be embodied in other ways, to include different steps or combinations of steps similar to the ones described in this document, in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms “step” and/or “block” may be used herein to connote different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between various steps herein disclosed unless and except when the order of individual steps is explicitly described.

Various technical terms, acronyms, and shorthand notations are employed to describe, refer to, and/or aid the understanding of certain concepts pertaining to the present disclosure. Unless otherwise noted, said terms should be understood in the manner they would be used by one with ordinary skill in the telecommunication arts. An illustrative resource that defines these terms can be found in Newton's Telecom Dictionary, (e.g., 32d Edition, 2022).

Embodiments of the technology described herein may be embodied as, among other things, a method, system, or computer-program product. Accordingly, the embodiments may take the form of a hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining software and hardware. An embodiment takes the form of a computer-program product that includes computer-useable instructions embodied on one or more computer-readable media that may cause one or more computer processing components to perform particular operations or functions.

Computer-readable media include both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and nonremovable media, and contemplate media readable by a database, a switch, and various other network devices. Network switches, routers, and related components are conventional in nature, as are means of communicating with the same. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media comprise computer-storage media and communications media.

Computer-storage media, or machine-readable media, include media implemented in any method or technology for storing information. Examples of stored information include computer-useable instructions, data structures, program modules, and other data representations. Computer-storage media include, but are not limited to RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile discs (DVD), holographic media or other optical disc storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage, and other magnetic storage devices. These memory components can store data momentarily, temporarily, or permanently.

Communications media typically store computer-useable instructions—including data structures and program modules—in a modulated data signal. The term “modulated data signal” refers to a propagated signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed to encode information in the signal. Communications media include any information-delivery media. By way of example but not limitation, communications media include wired media, such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, infrared, radio, microwave, spread-spectrum, and other wireless media technologies. Combinations of the above are included within the scope of computer-readable media.

By way of background, modern telecommunication networks utilize a plurality of functionally-defined instances, known as network functions in order to provide services to users. From authentication to mobility, network slicing to user plane functionality, traditional components of a telecommunication core network are increasingly separated into more precisely-functionally-defined segments. In order to operate correctly, network functions interact with each other to request and respond to service requests. A network function that requests a service is known as a network function consumer and a network function that provides the service is known as a network function producer. There are presently four models defined in the 3GPP specifications for facilitating the interactions between a network function consumer and a network function producer; three of the four models include the use of a network resource function to provide a query-based discovery or selection process, wherein a network consumer (directly, or via a service communication proxy) queries the network resource function to discover one or more candidate network function producers that are available to fulfill the network function consumer's service request. This query-based discovery/selection process is agnostic to the form of the network function consumer and the network function producer (e.g., the consumer could be an AMF, AUF, SMF, UPF, etc., and the producer could be a UDM, UDR, SMF, etc.). Once the query-based discovery process is complete, the network function consumer interacts with the network function producer identified by the network resource function from the query-based discovery process.

The query-based discovery process has significant advantages over static configurations (such as used by default in model “A” of the NF-NF interaction scheme set forth in 3GPP TS 23.501). Utilizing the query-based approach, a network function consumer can essentially select and communicate a network function producer without (or with significantly less) risk that the network function producer is too congested or otherwise unavailable to fulfill the service request, which could be a factor of a particular network function producer or a communication link between the network function producer and the network. Current solutions, particularly as set forth in the technical specifications, do not foresee the unfortunately realistic occasion that the one or more components used in the query-based discovery process (e.g., the network resource function) fail to answer the network function consumer's discovery request. Whether because of an unavailable link or because the network resource function, itself, is unavailable, the network function consumer's inability to complete the query-based discovery process is likely to lead to a failure of the network function consumer to identify (and therefore successfully request a network service request to) an appropriate network function producer.

In order to solve these problems, the present disclosure is directed to systems, methods, and computer readable media that improve conventional network function interaction models by using a static configuration when it is determined that a default query-based discovery process is unavailable. By creating and storing a static configuration that is available to network function consumers but relying on the query-based discovery process as a default configuration, network function consumers will retain the benefits of the query-based discovery process unless network function discovery resources such as the network resource function are unavailable. Utilizing the static configuration as a fallback or backup configuration only if the query-based discovery resource is unavailable (or performing sufficiently undesirably so as to materially degrade performance of the network function consumer), the network function consumer retains the highest possible level of functionality for network function service interactions.

Accordingly, a first aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a method for network function interaction. The method comprises creating a static network function configuration comprising one or more network function producers. The method further comprises storing the static network function configuration. The method further comprises determining that a primary query-based discovery process is unavailable, the primary query-based discovery process comprising obtaining network function producer information from a network resource function. The method further comprises identifying a candidate network function producer from the one or network function producers of the static network function configuration. The method further comprises communicating a network function service request from the network function consumer to the candidate network function producer.

Referring to, an exemplary computer environment is shown and designated generally as computing devicethat is suitable for use in implementations of the present disclosure. Computing deviceis but one example of a suitable computing environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should computing devicebe interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated. In aspects, the computing deviceis generally defined by its capability to transmit one or more signals to a an access point and receive one or more signals from the access point (or some other access point); the computing devicemay be referred to herein as a user equipment, wireless communication device, or user device, The computing devicemay take many forms; non-limiting examples of the computing deviceinclude a cell phone, tablet, internet of things (IoT) device, smart appliance, automotive or aircraft component, pager, personal electronic device, wearable electronic device, activity tracker, desktop computer, laptop, PC, and the like.

The implementations of the present disclosure may be described in the general context of computer code or machine-useable instructions, including computer-executable instructions such as program components, being executed by a computer or other machine, such as a personal data assistant or other handheld device. Generally, program components, including routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and the like, refer to code that performs particular tasks or implements particular abstract data types. Implementations of the present disclosure may be practiced in a variety of system configurations, including handheld devices, consumer electronics, general-purpose computers, specialty computing devices, etc. Implementations of the present disclosure may also be practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks are performed by remote-processing devices that are linked through a communications network.

With continued reference to, computing deviceincludes busthat directly or indirectly couples the following devices: memory, one or more processors, one or more presentation components, input/output (I/O) ports, I/O components, and power supply. Busrepresents what may be one or more busses (such as an address bus, data bus, or combination thereof). Although the devices ofare shown with lines for the sake of clarity, in reality, delineating various components is not so clear, and metaphorically, the lines would more accurately be grey and fuzzy. For example, one may consider a presentation component such as a display device to be one of I/O components. Also, processors, such as one or more processors, have memory. The present disclosure hereof recognizes that such is the nature of the art, and reiterates thatis merely illustrative of an exemplary computing environment that can be used in connection with one or more implementations of the present disclosure. Distinction is not made between such categories as “workstation,” “server,” “laptop,” “handheld device,” etc., as all are contemplated within the scope ofand refer to “computer” or “computing device.”

Computing devicetypically includes a variety of computer-readable media. Computer-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by computing deviceand includes both volatile and nonvolatile media, removable and non-removable media. By way of example, and not limitation, computer-readable media may comprise computer storage media and communication media. Computer storage media includes both volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for storage of information such as computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data.

Computer storage media includes RAM, ROM, EEPROM, flash memory or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices. Computer storage media does not comprise a propagated data signal.

Communication media typically embodies computer-readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media includes wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above should also be included within the scope of computer-readable media.

Memoryincludes computer-storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. Memorymay be removable, nonremovable, or a combination thereof. Exemplary memory includes solid-state memory, hard drives, optical-disc drives, etc. Computing deviceincludes one or more processorsthat read data from various entities such as bus, memoryor I/O components. One or more presentation componentspresents data indications to a person or other device. Exemplary one or more presentation componentsinclude a display device, speaker, printing component, vibrating component, etc. I/O portsallow computing deviceto be logically coupled to other devices including I/O components, some of which may be built in computing device. Illustrative I/O componentsinclude a microphone, joystick, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, etc.

A first radioand second radiorepresent radios that facilitate communication with one or more wireless networks using one or more wireless links. In aspects, the first radioutilizes a first transmitterto communicate with a wireless network on a first wireless link and the second radioutilizes the second transmitterto communicate with a wireless network on a second wireless link. Though two radios are shown, it is expressly conceived that a computing device with a single radio (i.e., the first radioor the second radio) could facilitate communication over one or more wireless links with one or more wireless networks via both the first transmitterand the second transmitter. Illustrative wireless telecommunications technologies include CDMA, GPRS, TDMA, GSM, and the like. One or both of the first radioand the second radiomay carry wireless communication functions or operations using any number of desirable wireless communication protocols, including 802.11 (Wi-Fi), WiMAX, LTE, 3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, NR, VoLTE, or other VoIP communications. In aspects, the first radioand the second radiomay be configured to communicate using the same protocol but in other aspects they may be configure dot communicate using different protocols. In some embodiments, including those that both radios or both wireless links are configured for communicating using the same protocol, the first radioand the second radiomay be configured to communicate on distinct frequencies or frequency bands (e.g., as part of a carrier aggregation scheme). As can be appreciated, in various embodiments, each of the first radioand the second radiocan be configured to support multiple technologies and/or multiple frequencies.

Turning now to, various embodiments are illustrated of a network environment in which the present disclosure may be employed. Such a network environment is illustrated and designated generally as network environment. Network environmentis but one example of a suitable network environment and is not intended to suggest any limitation as to the scope of use or functionality of the invention. Neither should the network environment be interpreted as having any dependency or requirement relating to any one or combination of components illustrated.

The network environmentgenerally represents a communication model for interaction between two or more network functions (NFs) within a core network of a telecommunication service provider. Generally, a first network function (NF), known as an NF consumer consumes services provided by another NF, known as an NF producer in order to perform any one or more necessary or desirable operations of a telecommunications network. For example, if a UE, such as the computing deviceof, initiates a wireless voice call, the call setup process may include an interaction between a session management function (SMF) and a unified data management (UDM) function in order to obtain subscriber profile information associated with the UE. In this example, the process by which the SMF discovers, selects, and then communicates requests and responses with the UDM is known as NF-NF service interaction. A network function, as used herein, is meant to refer to one or more computer processing components, storage components, and/or software instances that has a functionally-defined behavior and communication interface; for example, an access mobility function (AMF), session management function (SMF), user plane function (UPF), unified data management (UDM), and many others are network functions in 3GPP/5G networks.

Current implementations for NF-NF service interaction take one of four forms, known as communication models in technical specification such as 3GPP TS23.501. In a first form, not illustrated, an NF consumer directly communicates with an NF producer of their choice—all without an intermediary network resource function (NRF) or a service communication proxy (SCP). In the first form, query-based discovery is not used. In a second form, illustrated in, an NF consumerdiscovers NF producers by querying an NRFusing a discovery query; based on a discovery resultthat is sent back to the NF consumerindicating one or more available NF producers, the NF consumer can select the NF producerand subsequently communicate a service requestto the NF producer. After processing the service request, the NF producercommunicates a service responsedirectly to the NF consumerand any subsequence requestsare directly communicated from the NF consumerto the NF producer, and the process repeats as necessary. In a third form, illustrated in, the same discovery and NF profile interaction between the NF consumerand the NRFis utilized; however, instead of directly communicating service requests and responses between the NF consumerand the NF producer, an SCPfacilitates communication. Based on the discovery result, the NF consumer selects one or more NF producers. In some aspects of this form, the SCPinteracts with the NRFusing one or more selection communicationsto get NF producer selection parameters (such as location, capacity, and the like) in order to select and subsequently communicate service requests form the NF consumerto an NF producer in the set of NF producers selected by the NF consumer. Accordingly, a first service requestis communicated from the NF consumerto the SCP, a second service requestis communicated from the SCPto the selected NF producer, a first service responseis communicated from the NF producerto the SCP, a second service responseis communicated from the SCPto the NF consumer, and any subsequent service requests are routed from the NF consumerto the NF producervia the SCPusing a first subsequent requestand a second subsequent request. Finally, in a fourth form illustrated in, NF consumers such as the NF consumerdo not do any discovery or selection. In lieu of conducting NF discovery, the NF consumerincludes any discovery and/or selection parameters in the first service requestthat is communicated form the NF consumerto the SCP. Subsequently, the one or more selection communicationsbetween the SCPand the NRFare utilized to identify and select a suitable NF service producer. The remaining series of service requests and responses between the NF producerand the NF consumervia the SCPare then the same as in the third form.

Any embodiment of network environmentdescribed with reference tomay be used for the provision of any number of network function services. Notably, in all current forms of interactions between NF consumers and NF producers, either an NRF (with or without an SCP) is utilized for query-based NF producer discovery and selection or, in the case of the first form, an NF consumer only uses a local configuration profile for NF producer selection. That is, current solutions for interactions between NF consumer and NF producers (i.e., NF-NF interactions) either utilize a query-based process or a static process—not both. One critical advantage of using the query-based discovery process is that the NRF (alone or in combination with the SCP) may be used to select the best (or a desirable) NF producer in order to provide an NF service to the NF consumer. That is, query-based discovery is uniquely beneficial in instances where a particular network comprises multiple candidate NF producers, and a first NF producer is either unavailable, at capacity, or located at a great distance with high latency; the query-based process, as opposed the static-only model A configuration, would identify and facilitate selection of a second NF producer by the NF consumer.

Turning now to, an improved network environmentis illustrated for use with the present disclosure. The network environmentincludes a plurality of network functions, at least one network resource function, and in some aspects may comprise one or more service communication proxies, which are used to perform an improved method of NF-NF interaction. The network environmentcomprises a first network function, which may be known as an NF consumer (such as the NF consumerof). The first network functionutilizes one or more components to discover and select an NF producer; in one aspect, the first network functionis connected to a first SCPvia a first linkand may utilize the first linkas a default procedure to dynamically discover and select an NF producer (however, in the case of a model such as the one depicted inwhere an SCP is absent, the first linkmay connect the first network functionand the NRFdirectly). Under normal operating procedures, the first network functionmay utilize the first link(or a direct connection with the NRF) to discover and select an NF producer such as a third network function. If the first linkfails, or the first network functionis otherwise unable to perform query-based NF producer discovery, the first network function may be unable to perform its intended functions. Aspects of the present disclosure are directed to providing a static backup to the default query-based discovery and selection process that the first network functionperforms.

In order to utilize a secondary static configuration for network function discovery and interaction, a static network configuration will be created and stored in a location independent of the NRF. In one aspect the static network configuration will be created and stored at each NF consumer, such as the first network functionor a second network function; in another aspect, such as aspects per the forms shown in, the static network configuration will be created and stored at a proxy such as the first SCPor a second SCP, accessible by one or more NF consumers such as the first network functionand the second network function. In yet other aspects, the static network configuration may be stored in other locations that, so long as they are not the NRF(e.g., the static network configuration could be stored on a UDR).

The static network configuration may be created, replaced, or updated as desirable by a particular network operator. In a first aspect, the static network configuration may be created when the location in which the static network configuration is put in service; in other words, if the static network configuration is to be stored on the first network function, then the static network configuration could be created when the first network functionis put in to service. Referred to as an in-service aspect, the static network configuration in this aspect may reflect the configuration of the network at the time the storage location is put in-service or at a previous/predetermined time. For example, if the first network functionis put in service earlier than the second network function, the configuration of the network (i.e., the existence/details of NF producers) is different, and the static network configuration is based on the time of the NF consumer being placed in-service, then the static network configuration stored by the first network functionwould be different than the static network configuration stored by the second network function. In another aspect, the static network configuration may be replaced, whether regularly or upon an event occurring; for example, the static network configuration stored by one or more of the first network functionand the second network functionmay be overwritten and replaced by a new static network configuration at a predetermined interval (e.g., once every hour, once a day, once per week, and the like), or upon an event taking place (e.g., a new component such as a network function consumer, network function producer, SCP, NRF, or any other desirable component is put in to service, or upon every successful completion of a query-based discovery process). In a third aspect, the static network configuration may be replaced at a pre-determined interval or upon an event taking place, wherein the static network configuration is checked for staleness or compared to information obtained from an NRF during a query-based discovery process, or any other desirable manner. In any aspect, the static network configuration may be created, replaced, or updated based on information of the network configuration from an NRF such as the NRFor based on information populated and stored by a network operator in another location such as a unified data repository.

Even though the static network configuration is available to network function consumers such as the first network function, the present disclosure only utilizes the secondary static configuration when it is determined that the primary query-based process is unavailable or degraded. That is, upon a determination or indication that the first network functionis unable to utilize the default/primary query-based discovery process (or that the query-based discovery process is sufficiently degraded, which may be manifested by a greater than threshold delay or latency in receiving an answer from the destination of the query-based discovery request), the first network functionwill revert to the backup/secondary static configuration. Such a determination may be made by the first network functionor by one or more other computer processing components; in some aspects, the determination may be based on a determination that a communication link used for query-based discovery (e.g., the first linkor a link between an SCP, such as the first SCP, and an NRF, such as the NRF) is down or disrupted, the NRFis unavailable or degraded/congested (e.g., based on requests to the NRFtiming out, responses taking a greater than predetermined threshold amount of time, receivingorerrors, a TCP failure a buffer overflow, or any other error or state that is indicative of failure or degradation of the first link), the NRFis unavailable or operating abnormally, or on an indication that affirmatively indicates that the linkis not functioning normally. Regardless of how it is determined that the default query-based discovery process is unavailable to the first network function, the first network functionwill switch from the primary/default query-based discovery process to the secondary/backup static configuration.

Upon a determination that the primary query-based discovery process is unavailable, an NF consumer such as the first network functionwill utilize the secondary static configuration. Prior to falling back to the secondary static configuration, an NF consumer such as the first network functionmay test other paths to an NRF that is determined or indicated to be disrupted, such as the NRF, in order to confirm that the NRF is, in fact, disrupted. For example, if the first network functiontypically conducts a query-based discovery with the NRFutilizing the first communication link, the first SCP, and a third communication link, and if the first network functiondetermines or receives an indication that the NRFis unavailable or degraded, then the first network functionmay, prior to falling back to the secondary static network configuration, attempt to communicate with the NRFvia a second communication link, a second SCP, and a fourth communication link(or any other route to the NRFwherein one or more links or intervening components are different between the first attempt and the second attempt). In other aspects, the first network functionmay additionally or alternatively attempt query-based discovery using a second NRF (not pictured) if it is determined or indicated that the NRFis unavailable or degraded. In another aspect, upon a determination or indication that the NRFis unavailable or degraded, the first network functionmay wait for a predetermined period of time and then re-attempt the same query based discovery with the NRF, and may further repeat the re-attempts a predetermined number of times before falling back to the secondary static configuration. Regardless of what combination of features is utilized prior to falling back to the secondary static configuration, once the secondary static configuration is invoked, the first network functionqueries the static network configuration, whether it is local to the first network functionor requires communicating one or more queries to the first SCPvia the first communication link. The static network configuration generally comprises information relating identities, locations, and functions of one or more NF producers, or as otherwise defined in 3GPP TS23.501. Using the static network configuration, a candidate NF producer, such as the third network function, is identified and then the NF consumer, such as the first network function, communicates network function service requests thereto, using a communication link from the static network configuration, such as a fifth communication link. In aspects, after a predetermined/configurable amount of time or upon communication or completion of a predetermined number of network function service requests, the first network functionwill re-attempt to use the primary query-based discovery process and revert to said primary process as soon it is determine to be available or the degradation is no longer occurring.

Turning now to, a flow chart is provided for a methodfor using a static configuration fallback for NF-NF interactions. At a first step, it is determined that a default query-based NF discovery process has failed, according to any one or more aspects described herein. At a second step, in response to determining that the query-based NF discovery process has failed, an NF consumer such as the NF consumerofor the first NFofaccesses a static configuration repository and selects an NF producer, according to any one or more aspects described herein. At a third step, the NF consumer communicates one or more NF service requests to the NF producer selected from the static configuration repository, in accordance with any one or more aspects described herein. In some aspects, the methodadditionally comprises a fourth step, wherein after a predetermined period of time, the NF consumer re-attempts to utilize the default query-based NF discovery process, in accordance with any one or more aspects described herein.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the scope of the claims below. Embodiments of our technology have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to readers of this disclosure after and because of reading it. Alternative means of implementing the aforementioned can be completed without departing from the scope of the claims below. Certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims.